NHTSA Complaint #10010860 — 1996 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

TRANSMISSION LOCKED-UP ON 1996 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. WHEN WE CONTACTED SOMEONE ABOUT OBTAINING A TRANSMISSION, WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD ALREADY SENT LETTERS TO DODGE DEALERSHIPS TO EXPECT TO BE CONTACTED ABOUT TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ON THE 1996 & 1997 GRAND CARAVANS; THE DEALERSHIPS WERE TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSIONS IN THESE VEHICLES WERE DEFECTIVE, BUT THAT THEY(MANUFACTURER) WOULD NOT HAVE THEM REPAIRED. MY HUSBAND WAS TRAVELING ON I-40 BUSINESS OUTSIDE OF WINSTON SALEM, NC, WHEN THIS HAPPENED. HE HAD WITH HIM OUR 8 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AND MY STEP-DAUGHTER, THEY WERE STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD FOR OVER 4 HOURS, AND AT NIGHT. WE HAD PREVIOUSLY HAD A "PIN" OF SOME SORT IN THE TRANSMISSION REPAIRED AND THE VAN SEEMED TO BE FINE AFTER THAT; WE HAD NO OTHER INDICATION THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM--THE VAN'S TRANSMISSION WENT OUT WITHOUT ANY INDICATION THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THIS HAPPENED ON A VERY BUSY PART OF THE INTERSTATE; IT JUST SHUT DOWN AND COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION IF THEY HAD BEEN TRAVELING IN THE LEFT LANE OF TRAFFIC. DUE TO BEING IN THE RIGHT LANE, THEY WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET IT OFF THE ROAD WITHOUT BEING HIT BY OTHER TRAFFIC. WE ALSO HAD TO HAVE THE VAN TOWED OVER 60 MILES TO GET IT HOME. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY INFO. OR ASSISTANCE YOU CAN OFFER. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF OTHER INFO OR QUESTIONS ARE NEEDED. THANK YOU. *NLM